Score one for the Internet. One of SOPA's most controversial provisions—DNS blocking—will be removed, for now at least, according to one of the act's staunchest supporters, Representative Lamar Smith.

The domain name blocking provision, as set forth in SOPA, would effectively censor foreign websites found hosting any amount of pirated content by requiring American ISP's to block access to them. In addition, the provision reportedly could have interfered with the DNSSEC, which helps protect the DNS system from attack.

Rep. Smith stated that the provision would remain tabled until the Congressional Judiciary Committee has had an opportunity to "further examine the issues." The Senate removed similar language from its competing Protect IP Act yesterday.

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Opponents of both bills were unimpressed by the amendments, however. "These bills need to be killed altogether," Corynne McSherry, Director of IP for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told CNet. "Our view all along has been they are not fixable." [CNet via Electronista - Image: The AP]